Bernard Schoenburg: TV ads, car use at issue in Sangamon County sheriff’s race

Friday

Feb 7, 2014 at 1:03 AM

By Bernard SchoenburgPolitical Writer

Sangamon County sheriff candidate WES BARR is wondering why TV ads against texting and driving that feature his opponent keep running so close to the election season.

He also said he doesn’t think it’s appropriate that Undersheriff JACK CAMPBELL — whom he faces in the March 18 GOP primary — is using a car from a local auto dealer. Barr did get a $1,000 donation from the same group of dealerships.

Campbell appeared on WICS-TV in the anti-texting ad this week, and it has run periodically at least since October.

“No one has the ability to text and drive at the same time — especially young, inexperienced drivers,” Campbell says in the ad. “When you’re driving, leave the phone alone. It can wait.”

After that, JESSE BOEHLER of Country Financial insurance adds to the message, saying in part, “Join me and take the pledge to never text and drive.”

In October, Barr, who retired last year as a sheriff’s lieutenant, said he hoped the ads weren’t political, and they conveyed an “important message.”

This week, Barr said he thinks such ads are “being used more for political purposes than I hoped.” If they are public service announcements, he said, “I was under the assumption that they would have to offer equal time, since he’s a candidate.”

And if a company is involved in sponsoring the spots, Barr said, he questions if that should be noted as an in-kind donation to Campbell.

Sheriff NEIL WILLIAMSON, who is still in office, has endorsed Campbell. Barr said he thinks it would be more appropriate for Williamson, who is not running for office, to be in the ads.

Campbell told me he doesn’t feel “uncomfortable at all” about being in the ads.

“I’m very happy that I was asked to participate in this program,” Campbell said. “I teamed up with Channel 20 back in the spring to help them with their no-text pledge” program.

“I go to schools and talk about not texting and driving,” Campell said. “I simply was just continuing on my … wish to help keep the roads safe.”

TIM MATHIS, WICS-TV’s general manager, said various officials have represented law enforcement in the ads. Because a sponsor pays to air them, he said, they are not technically public service announcements, but because of the message they have an “attractive” rate. He said he’s not aware the station has received any complaints, but hearing of Barr’s concern, “We’ll have to give it some thought.” Any viewer complaint generates a review for “proper service to the public and for fairness,” he said.

While not a lawyer, he added, some rules about providing on-air time apply to qualified candidates for federal office, and “wouldn’t necessarily apply to every political campaign.”

Boehler said he’s been sponsoring such ads for a couple years as the anti-texting message is also a Country concern, and he just wants to sell insurance and promote safe driving.

“Either one of them would make a good sheriff,” he said of Campbell and Barr.

SHARON STEWARD, director of campaign disclosure at the State Board of Elections, said a candidate could complain to the board if they thought something improper was being done in advertising. She did note that a law concerning “electioneering communication” deals with messages within 30 days of a primary that are clearly designed to be for or against a candidate or issue. The “independent expenditure” law also deals with messages “expressly advocating for or against” a candidate or cause.

Barr noted that there have been questions raised in recent years about state officials using their positions to get publicity. And he’s right.

An ethics bill that took effect Jan. 1, 2004, banned the name or image of state constitutional officers or lawmakers from public service announcements for state-administered programs, and also banned use of those names on promotional items, such as magnets and bumper stickers, paid for with public dollars.

That was part of a major ethics overhaul that Gov. ROD BLAGOJEVICH oversaw following perceived abuses. One thing in the past: Then-Secretary of State GEORGE RYAN sent refrigerator magnets featuring his name to seniors across Illinois in 1998, the year he ran and won the governorship.

Following the impeachment of Blagojevich, Quinn went to a toll plaza on the Tri-State Tollway to sign legislation to prevent state officials from putting their name or likeness on billboards or electronic signs paid for with tax dollars. Blagojevich famously had his name plastered on open-road-tolling structures, providing plenty of free advertising in a very populous region of the state.

Meanwhile, Campbell is using a Chevrolet Impala he said has about 70,000 miles on it for his campaign. It is listed on his campaign finance reports as a $200-a-month in-kind donation from Green Toyota. MYLAS COPELAND, general manager of Green Toyota Scion Volkswagon Audi, said the car is really from Green Family Stores, which has seven locations.

“I meet with a lot of business people around town,” Campbell said. “I always ask if there’s something that they can do to help out. Sometimes they write you checks, and sometimes they offer you other things.”

When I first asked about this in recent days, Campbell said he knew of no business the sheriff’s office did with the company. However, it turns out that Sangamon County, near the end of 2012, purchased 14 Chevrolet Impala squad cars from Green Chevrolet Buick GMC in Jacksonville.

BRAD BURNETT, comptroller of the sheriff’s office, said the vehicles were obtained through a joint purchasing agreement with the state Department of Central Management Services. The county also bought through that state program three pickups and a sport utility vehicle suitable for police dogs from another dealer, and it was all financed with a $323,197 loan from Warren-Boynton State Bank. The final payment of $104,521 will be made Dec. 15, and the money comes from the county’s capital budget, he said.

“I don’t have anything to do with the actual purchase of the vehicles,” Campbell said. “I just let the county board know how many I need. I have no idea who gets the state bid, and I certainly wouldn’t have known that a store in Jacksonville was a Green Family store.”

Still, he said, he does not see a problem, as he noted the company also gave money to Barr, and it is not unusual for candidates to get business support.

“I was happy to receive their support,” he said.

He said having the car at work allows him to go to political events afterward.

“I try not to take a work vehicle, certainly,” to such events, Campbell said.

“They called me and offered me a vehicle as well, and said they were treating us equal,” Barr said. “I didn’t think it was appropriate to take a vehicle from them. … Most people running for elected office don’t go out and get a loaner vehicle. I’m just telling you my personal opinion.”

Barr did get a $1,000 donation from Green Family Stores in August.

Campbell also got a $300 donation from Green Hyundai last May.

Copeland said he is a volunteer auxiliary deputy with the department and is neutral in the race.

Democrat JEFF REGAN is running as a write-in in his party’s March 18 primary for sheriff.

Bernard Schoenburg is political columnist for The State Journal-Register. He can be reached at 788-1540 or follow him via twitter.com/bschoenburg. His email address is bernard.schoenburg@sj-r.com.